Meghan Vankosky

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Meghan A. Vankosky, Ph.D.

Dr. Vankosky joined the Hoddle Lab in July 2015, as a postdoctoral scholar. The emphasis of Dr. Vankosky's work in the Hoddle Lab will be to evaluate the establishment and efficacy of a second parasitoid of Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae) in southern California. She also plans to investigate the relationship between the two primary parasitoids of Asian citrus psyllid.

Dr. Vankosky completed her B.Sc. at the University of Alberta in December 2007, with a major in biology and a minor in history. In January 2008, she began work on her M.Sc. under the co-supervision of Dr. Lloyd Dosdall (University of Alberta) and Dr. Hector Carcamo (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada). Her work focused on the use of chemical, cultural and biological control of the pea leaf weevil, Sitona lineatus (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in southern Alberta, Canada. She has published four first author publications, one co-authored publication, and co-authored a book chapter from that project. After completing her M.Sc. in August 2010, Dr. Vankosky began her Ph.D. project in Dr. Sherah VanLaerhoven's lab at the University of Windsor in September 2010. In March 2015, she defended her dissertation, which examined the life history and behaviour of a zoophytophagous omnivore, Dicyphus hesperus Knight (Hemiptera: Miridae) in response to variation in host plant nitrogen content.

Currently, Dr. Vankosky is working on establishing a release and monitoring program for the parasitoid Diaphorencyrtus aligarhensis (Shafee, Alam and Agrawal) (Hymenoptera: Encrytidae) in southern California, with the goal of determining its ability to establish populations and contribute to the mortality of the Asian citrus psyllid. She also intends to evaluate the competitive relationship between D. aligarhensis and Tamarixia radiata (Waterston) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) and using a series of laboratory and microcosm experiments.

Education

Ph.D. Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor (2015)

Research Interests

Dr. Vankosky considers herself an agricultural entomologist, and she draws from her background in entomology, pest management, ecology, and statistics to design laboratory and field experiments to test important hypotheses pertaining to insect pest management. She also recognizes that a thorough understanding of the basic biology and life history of both the pest and its natural enemies is key to successful pest management programs using biological control. She strives to approach her work from this perspective and to use this basic information to influence pest management practices.

Current Projects

Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) is an efficient vector of the bacterial citrus disease huanglongbing (HLB), previously called citrus greening disease, which is one of the most destructive diseases of citrus worldwide.

Awards

President's Prize Runner Up at Entomology 2014, P-IE Section 15

Department of Biological Sciences Graduate Excellence Award 2013-2014

Dr. Joseph E.J. Habowsky Graduate Teaching Award, 2012-2013

Ontario Graduate Scholarship, May 2011 (declined) and May 2014 (accepted)

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) – PGSD, May 2011 – April 2014